Director, Academic Policy & Technology

 Job Summary

The Director of Academic Policy & Technology in LSA Student Academic Affairs (SAA) is a non-instructional administrative position that plays a critical role in the undergraduate education mission of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) at the University of Michigan. As the largest college on the Ann Arbor campus, LSA serves over 17,000 undergraduate students in over 100 degree programs. This newly restructured position reports to the LSA Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs (SAA) and is part of the SAA Senior Leadership Team along with other directors and staff within SAA and the Office of the Assistant Dean.

LSA Student Academic Affairs (SAA) engages students, fosters their success, and upholds academic standards in support of the liberal arts and the University of Michigan community. As a community of over sixty full-time higher education professionals, and in collaboration with key partners across the college and beyond, SAA aspires to be a valued resource and leader in support of the academic and personal experience of undergraduate students at the university. Overall, SAA is responsible for helping LSA undergraduates achieve the expectations and rewards of the liberal arts and science education afforded by the college. To accomplish this responsibility, LSA SAA is organized into the following units: Office of the Assistant Dean, Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center, Academic Opportunities & Support, Academic Policy & Technology, and the Testing Accommodation Center.

Responsibilities

The Director of Academic Policy & Technology in LSA Student Academic Affairs (SAA) is responsible for the oversight and direction of academic requirements and systems that support the success of over 17,000 undergraduate students in the college and across the university. While overseeing the daily administration and leadership of a team, the Director will also have additional responsibility for policy compliance and technological innovations for the college’s undergraduate education division, including work with departments and faculty.  

The successful candidate will lead the design and maintenance of academic technology that supports student success. They will also play a key role in collaborating with other departments and academic-facing staff to implement university and college policies that outline key academic requirements and processes. In addition to spearheading the creation of innovative technology efforts to enhance the ever evolving academic work necessary to support the undergraduate student experience, they will also be responsible for building academic relationships across the college and university around policies and practice. 

The Director is a member of the SAA Senior Leadership team and is expected to work collaboratively as a key partner on overarching SAA strategic initiatives and daily operations of the unit. They are also expected to supervise a team of administrative professional staff.

Student Academic Affairs (SAA) Leadership (30%)

In collaboration with the Assistant Dean and the other members of the SAA Senior Leadership team, assist in developing short- and long-range planning efforts and directing the day-to-day administration of SAA Lead college and university efforts related to undergraduate student success, including the collaborative development of new systems and technologies at the university level Create and implement a comprehensive strategic plan (including a vision and goals) for a team that supports and provides services to faculty, staff, and students Supervise and manage the daily work of a diverse team of administrative professionals - hiring, training, coaching, and development Along with the other SAA Directors and Deputy Assistant Dean, create and execute programming for SAA meetings, including all-staff meetings Represent SAA and the college as liaison to key university and community stakeholder groups, including responding to difficult faculty and staff cases as needed and appropriate Provide assistance and/or represent SAA on various faculty, administrative, or student committees, task forces, or working groups internal and external to the college

Administration and Leadership of Academic Policies (40%)

Interpret and uphold the academic and advising policies of the college and university Oversee the development, implementation, and assessment of academic policy and audit activities within SAA, including student course late drops and athletic attestations Guide faculty and staff in the appropriate use of student records, including appropriate training and maintenance of records as well as compliance with required policies and practices In coordination with the Advising Information and Operations Assistant, ensure proper data input and access to student records is maintained Collaborate with university school/college leadership to develop, maintain, and assess effective processes for managing joint degree and cross-campus transfer student populations Collaborate with the Registrar’s Office and LSA academic departments around student degree audit and transfer credit evaluation systems and processes Serve as a resource for instructional and support staff around academic policy matters  Resolve complex policy concerns referred by key stakeholders

Administration and Leadership of Academic Technology (30%)

Lead the design and assessment of innovative undergraduate advising technologies and student support systems to support academic and advising staff, including the LSA Undergraduate Student Advising File, the LSA Advising Appointment calendar, and LSA Academic Progress Report forms In collaboration with other units, oversee the creation, integration, and maintenance of solutions that support academic advising and student success Represent SAA and the college as liaison to key university and college technology groups (e.g. UM ITS and LSA Technology Services), ensuring the proper prioritization of critical and important academic projects as needed and appropriate

Required Qualifications

PhD or EdD, or equivalent combination of education and experience required, with three to four years of experience within student academic affairs/support leadership Strong background in higher education academic policy, advising technology, and student success trends and issues Track record of successful implementation of innovative practices, processes, and policies related to the undergraduate student experience, including their evaluation and assessment Ability to effectively articulate the value of a liberal arts education to a broad range of constituents Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture, including direct experience working with staff and students from diverse backgrounds and identities Strong experiences creating and implementing a unit or program strategic plan Proven ability to supervise, train, and develop staff, including the demonstrated ability to recruit, retain, mentor, and support a diverse staff Demonstrated ability to promote a professional, cooperative, and inclusive team environment and to collaborate with colleagues across the college and university. Demonstrated ability to promote a professional, cooperative, and inclusive team environment Experience in managing various aspects of a complex area, with a proven ability to lead teams and manage change as part of an overarching unit-level strategic plan Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to establish positive and respectful working relationships with students, staff, and faculty Exemplary oral and written communication skills

Desired Qualifications

PhD or EdD, with at least five years of progressively responsible experience leading a complex and collaborative team environment Evidence of significant national or regional involvement in an organization or efforts related to higher education academic advising technology and/or academic policy Extensive hands-on experience leading organizational learning, change management, and strategic planning Experience with large-scale evaluation and assessment

Salary is commensurate with direct student academic policy and technology leadership experience.